The new coach of RCD Espanyol, Eder Sarabia, will have to wait until November 20 to play his first game in the white shirt. The reason for this delay is a four-game sanction imposed by the RFEF, of which Sarabia already served two while he was in charge of Elche.
Sarabia, who signed a two-season contract until 2028, arrived at Espanyol with the intention of assuming technical direction immediately. However, his official presentation at the RCDE Stadium is scheduled for the Tuesday following his arrival, and the RFEF has imposed a suspension that prevents him from appearing on the field of play until the four matches have been played.
The sanction originated after Elche's 2-1 defeat against Real Betis in La Cartuja, when Sarabia addressed referee Isidro Díaz de Mera with insults that were recorded in the match report. The referee, of Castilian-La Mancha origin, described the coach's behavior as “scoundrels”, which led the Disciplinary Committee to impose the suspension.
As a result, Sarabia's debut will not be able to occur in the match on Saturday, November 7, when Espanyol visits Deportivo de La Coruña at La Cerámica. The first match he will be able to coach will be on November 20, against Athletic Club in San Mamés, just after the second international break of the season.
To date, it has not been decided whether the coach who will take the bench in the match against Deportivo will be a member of Sarabia's staff or the current interim coach, Sergio García. Espanyol, which has just left the Manolo González era, hopes that the new coach can integrate and start working with the team as soon as possible, although the sanction forces him to wait more than three weeks for his first action at the Cerámica.